Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20020814.htm

DEUTERONOMY: GETTING OTHERS TO BE VICTORS, NOT CASUALTIES
Part VI: Encouraging Others To Respect God As A Priority
(Deuteronomy 5:1-33)
  1. Introduction
    1. It is easier for Christians to "love" God than it is to "fear" Him, for "fear" of an overseer in today's cultural climate is often associated with the assumed unjust abuse by the overseer.
    2. Yet, fearing God is a very wholesome thing to do, for it is promoted in Deut. 5:29 and Heb. 12:29.
    3. Moses exampled how and why to motivate others to respect God rightly as follows:
  2. Encouraging Others To Respect God As A Priority, Deuteronomy 5:1-33.
    1. Moses called the people of Israel together to remind them of their relationship with God, Deut. 5:1-6.
    2. He then reminded them of God's Ten Commandments forming the foundation of their Law: (5:7-21)
      1. First, Israel was to have no other gods before God, Deuteronomy 5:7.
      2. Second, Israel was to make no other gods as idols for worship, Deuteronomy 5:8-10.
      3. Third, the people of Israel were to respect God's Name, not using it in vain speech, Deut. 5:11.
      4. Fourth, they were to keep the Sabbath day, not doing any regular business in it, Deuteronomy 5:12-15.
      5. Fifth, the people were to respect their parents with the promise of longevity as its reward, 5:16.
      6. Sixth, the people were not to commit murder, Deuteronomy 5:17.
      7. Seventh, the people of God were to respect the sanctify of the marriage bond by avoiding adultery, Deuteronomy 5:18.
      8. Eighth, they were not to take what belonged to others as their own, Deuteronomy 5:19.
      9. Ninth, the people of Israel were not to give false testimony in court proceedings against one another, a command that also outlaws lying in general by way of application, Deuteronomy 5:20.
      10. Tenth, the people were not to covet any possession of their neighbor's, Deuteronomy 5:21.
    3. Moses further reminded the people of Israel that God had reinforced how seriously He wanted the people to take these commands by adding TERRIFYING special effects in the initial declaration of these commands, Deuteronomy 5:4-5, 22-27:
      1. Moses reminded the people of Israel of the striking special effects God had used in giving the Law:
        1. He reported God used a raging fire on Mount Sinai to create fear in the people, Deuteronomy 5:4.
        2. Moses reminded them how God had enveloped Mount Sinai with thick clouds and gloom, giving a foreboding effect, Deuteronomy 5:22a,b.
        3. Moses recalled when God had spoken, He had used a very loud voice, Deuteronomy 5:22c.
      2. Hence, the people had become so frightened they asked Moses to mediate communication between God and themselves, and they withdrew a distance from the mountain, Dt. 5:25-27. (cf. Exodus 20:18)
    4. Hence, Moses relayed God's purpose in presenting His basic commands to them in this terrifying way, the purpose of causing them to respect Him so they would not disobey Him so He could bless them:
      1. Moses reported God had approved of the wish of the people to have him act as a mediating communicator with God in their behalf so they would not have to be afraid of God, Deut. 5:28.
      2. However, God relayed He had chosen to use the "terrifying" route to communicate so the people would respect Him and thus observe His commands so He could bless them and their children, Deut. 5:29!
Lesson: Moses REMINDED the people of the TERRIFYING WAY God had SPOKEN unto them in giving them His law so they would FEAR disobeying God, resulting in obedience and God's blessing of them. In DOING so, he sought to PROLONG the EFFECTS of that TERRIFYING "special effects" communication of God to the people so they would HEED Him and be BLESSED!

Application: (1) For our OWN benefit, we as OVERSEERS do well to RECALL how God has previously used events to cause US to RESPECT Him so that WE will HEED His Word in our OWN lives for blessing. (2) Having done so, in seeking to disciple subordinates, we do well to REMIND THEM of PAST experiences THEY have had where God has REVEALED Himself as a God to be taken SERIOUSLY and RESPECTED! In DOING so, we MOTIVATE them to HEED God to the end that they might be BLESSED and not DISCIPLINED by the Lord!